Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Are you guys going to try KFC’s new Double Down Sandwhich .It’s only 540 calories with 32 grams of fat, and 1380 mg of sodium. If that is a little too fattening why don’t you try the Grilled Double Down sandwhich. For a mere 460 calories, 23 grams of fat, and 1430 mg of sodium this definetly seems to be the much healthier option. You’ll meet your weight loss goals in no time because it has no bread. You see by eliminating the bread KFC has made this sandwhich completly healthy . The two fried pieces of chicken with cheese and ham will help you get that beach body in no time. Read this old post for why carbs are not bad!!

Besides from the fact that this sandwhich looks disgusting it is really a heart attack wrapped in paper and the amount of sodium in it is ridiculous. (The recommended daily allowance of sodium is 2400 mg..so that's half of the sodium in one sandwhich ).

Aside from this monstrosity. Fat is an essential part of your diet. Fats or lipids provide energy to your body, protect your organs, store nutrients, and regulate your body’s temperature. The problem is not fat but the types of fat that we eat. In general a person’s diet should have between 7-10% of saturated fat (whole milk, cream, ice cream, cheeses, butter, lard, palm oil, and red meats.) Ideally people need to eat more monosaturated (avocados, olive oil, canola oil, peanut oil and other nuts) and polysaturated fats (safflower, fish, soybeans).

Diets high in saturated fats can change your blood lipid profile (aka lead to a high LDL count or bad cholesterol). LDL cholesterol is dangerous because it is so small that it can collect in the lining of damaged artieries. Over time this build up can lead to plaque in your arteries or atheroscoleris. On the other hand, HDL ( high density lipoprotein) prevent arterial plaque formation.

One group of peeps who have perfected the proper use of fats are the greeks. Their Mediterrean diet has been studied because of their use of healthy fats. Side bar about 80% of the mediterrean diet comes from fat. Click here to read more about it.

Friday, April 9, 2010

I meant to post this a while ago but me, my job, and blogger were not on good speaking terms. Anyway this has to be the best protein shake I have ever had.
It is dammm good!!!

Introducing Labrada's Lean Body for Her (or HIM) Meal Replacement. This shake is nothing short of exceptional deliciousness!! I first tried the vanilla shake and it taste like cake batter. Then I tried tried the chocolate ice cream and it tastes just as promised!! I can drink this all damm day.

Personally I have not tried the strawberry protein shake because in the past strawberry protein shakes are digusting. But I am willing to try this brands but I will attempt the single servings.
Small steps

Lean Body for Her/Him is a great meal replacement option.After an intense workout your post exercise nutrition is super important especially if you lift. During high volume, heavy resistance training glycogen stores in the muscle provides the largest portion of calories for work. It is important to maximize glycogen stores before engaging in the type of exercise bout. The best time to saturate your glycogen stores is immediately following an exercise bout. After a workout your cells are depleted and are more prone to efficiently absorb nutrients. Consuming a mixture of protein and carbohydrates increases both glycogen saturation and protein synthesis in the muscle tissue.

Unlike other shakes that lack a good ratio of protein to carbs. Lean Body has 30 grams of protein and 10 carbs. Please, please, dont be scared by the word carbs. Carbs are necessary they are friend not foe.

To get your fair share of yummy goodness click on the link above. Have a great weekend!!

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

It's the end of March. March Madness is coming to an end, the temps are starting to warm up, and people are turning their workout routines up a notch. A good way to measure the intensity of your workout is through your heart rate and achieving your maximum.

Your heart rate is an ideal measure to determine exercise intesity because it has a direct relationship with aerobic work. The harder the workout the more oxygen is needed. As a result the heart must pump more to meet the need for oxygenated blood. The relationship allows intensity to be measured indirectly by tracking heart rate response to exercise. The Hear Rate Training Zone is the heart rate range that a person should work to mazimize their workout.

Now how does one find this range...

Here are a few methods:
1) Classic Formula - Subtract the person's age from 220 and use a standard deviation of 10-12 beats per minute. The problem with this calcualtion is that it assumes that everyone at that age has the same maximum heart rate and it is not precise.
2)Multifactor General Population Formula - This formula takes into consideration your age, obesity, fitness, and smoking status. MEN
Max HR = 203.9 - (.812 x age) + (.276 x RHR) - (0.084 x kg) - (4.5 x smoking code)

3) Talk Test- Basically when it boils down to is that your exercise intensity is revved up to a point where you cannot maintain a conversation . At this point the exceriser is at the ventilatory threshold. (this was me yesterday on the stair machine...that thing is a killer)

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

SEVEN WHOLE MONTHS!!! That's how long it took me to save for my trip to Europe. And do you know how long it took me to spend that...6 days!!! I even had to dip in my other savings account. Don't get me wrong I had a ball siteseeing, eating, and especially shopping, but dammm doesn't it suck how fast it goes???

Well the same can be said with gaining and losing weight! It took me four months to get my body in shape for a show and in two damm weeks I gained enough weight to lead me back to sqaure one. In two weeks all my ab definition went away and hid underneath blubber. I was super pissed. I went away for Chirstmas and New Years and it took until now... March 10th to get my body back. Two weeks to gain, 3 months to get it lose. Don't you love those numbers?!?!

Well as soon as I got home I had a plan and I knew what it was...I was going to have to workout HARD!!! In essence I think all I had to lose was 5- 10 pounds but when you compete your body is sooo deprived that when you do eat hearty your body absorbs everything!! I literally took my body from famine to feast in no time. So all that luscious french and swiss chocolate, wine, steaks, pizza, and fish and chips..stuck to my abs, legs, and booty that's where my fat likes to hang out.

To lose weight from a cardio perspective you must GO HARD.
Yes it all depends on your goal so refer to the list below to see how long you must run in the park, walk up the stairs, or bike across the bridge.
Stats provided by NCSF's Personal Training Concepts.

GOAL Frequency Duration
General Health Most days 30 mins a day
Fitness 3-5 Days 30-60 min
Performance 5-7 Days 45-90 min

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

I know I talked about this before. But it doesn't hurt to repeat. Plus I added some more helpful tidbits.

Before I started undergrad I was lucky enough to do the Balfour program at the University of Notre Dame. It was a pre-freshman summer immersion program that I was sooo thankful to be a part of. Besides knowing the campus and having a set group of friends I also got to know some of the faculty.

Now one professor Dr. Rudy Bottei dropped many pearls of wisdom. Not only for physics and biology but he gave us guidance on basic principles that I still stick to today. One of his sayings was to, "optimize your primetime!!!" He always encouraged his students to get as much done during the hours of 9-5 instead of wasting it away at the student center, sleeping, playing video games, or anyother way one bs's in college.

However, for me and basically every person I know our primetime hours can be extended much earlier and later than 9-5...especially gym and other workout fanatics .

When I am in the gym I make sure I optimize my time in the utmost manner.
First off I do not go there to chit chat and make friends. (Side bar - I have met some great people there though) My time is focused on working out and getting my sets in cardio in. Not talking to my treadmill neighbor or eye stalking the gym hottie.

Two and this is really the focus of the blog today when I come dressed to the gym I come not to impress but to MAXIMIZE the sweat!!

Attention Ladies and Gentleman:
If you come to the gym like you are about to shoot for Maxim Magazine than turn around, go home, and put on more layers. There is so much more you can be getting from your workout if you saved the skin tight attire for a walk in park....when the very hot players from the neighborhood baseball or softball league are playing.

When I come to the gym it's about burining the maximum amount of calories and fat in the least amount of time and in order to do that I have alot going on underneath my clothes. I literally look like the Michelin Man with all those layers...

Here is my regimine I use every time im in the gym (Except summer)
IF YOU HAVE THE INTIALS OF KR THEN PLEASE GET THIS!!
1) I apply sweet sweat to all of my trouble zones.
The cream as it namesake suggests makes you sweat more.
Click here to order
2) Then I wrap my stomach in plastic wrap. No shame in my game. I use the store
brand
3) Next I put on this body suit
4) Then you put on your workout gear
5) And finally if you have balls and you want to look like Superman or as I have
been called Michael Jackson wear this vinyl suit. I've seen people put a
sweater or huge XXL shirt to hide this sucker.

I know it seems like you are baking a cake with all of this steps but trust me the sweat speaks for itself and it is an Olympic sized swimming pool.